Comet Hale-Bopp Reaches Perihelion

On April 1, 1997, the comet Hale-Bopp made its closest approach to the sun at
0.914 AU. Discovered on July 23, 1995, the comet was named after its
discoverers, astronomers Alan Hale and Thomas Bopp. Hale discovered the comet
while using his telescope in his New Mexico yard. Bopp, on the other hand,
discovered the comet with a friend’s telescope while looking at stars in
Arizona. Hale alerted the Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams of his
discovery through email, while Bopp sent a Western Union telegram to the
organization. In 1997, Hale-Bopp was one of the brightest objects in the sky and
could be seen in the sky with the naked eye for 18 months. The comet was so
bright it could even be seen in major cities. The comet was visible all night in
the northern hemisphere until its passed perihelion, when it began moving into
view in the southern hemisphere. While the last naked-eye sighting occurred in
December of 1997, astronomers believe the comet will be detected with large
telescopes until 2020. Hale-Bopp is a long period comet. It is believed that its
last perihelion occurred around 4,200 years ago. Records from the ancient
Egyptians mention a “long hair” star in the pyramid to pharaoh Pepi I
(2332-2283BC). Hale-Bopp’s orbit was significantly shortened when it encountered
Jupiter’s gravity in 1996. Astronomers now believe that Hale-Bopp has a period
of 2,533 with an aphelion of 370 AU. Scientists are optimistic that Hale-Bopp
will never collide with Earth, but if a collision did occur, the results would
be disastrous.